// when the user submits signup 
        public ActionResult Create_Account(LoginViewModel model)
        {
            // establish connection to database
            CoreysListEntities db = new CoreysListEntities();

            try
            {
                // Checking to see if the email entered already exist in database
                User testUser = db.Users.FirstOrDefault(u => u.Email == model.Email);

                // if not create and add new user
                if (testUser == null)
                {
                    User newUser = new User();
                    newUser.FirstName = model.FirstName;
                    newUser.LastName = model.LastName;
                    newUser.Email = model.Email;
                    newUser.PhoneNum = Convert.ToString(model.PhoneNumber.Replace("-", ""));
                    newUser.Password = model.Password;
                    newUser.CreatedBy = "Corey";
                    newUser.CreatedDate = DateTime.Now;

                    // save the new user to the database
                    db.Users.Add(newUser);
                    db.SaveChanges();

                    // set the new users information in session variables
                    Session["UserId"] = newUser.UserID;
                    Session["UserEmail"] = newUser.Email;

                    // send user to homepage
                    UserHomeViewModel userHomeModel = new UserHomeViewModel();
                    return View("UserHome", userHomeModel);
                }
                else
                {
                    // else return error message informing user that email already is registered
                    model.CreateAccountErrorMessage = "Email already in use";
                    return View("Index", model);
                }
            }  
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                // exception connecting to database
                string error = e.Message;
                return View("Index", model);
            }
        }
         public ActionResult AccountUpdate(User updatedUserInfo)
         {
            // get the user from the database and update thier information
             CoreysListEntities db = new CoreysListEntities();
             User user = db.Users.FirstOrDefault(u => u.UserID == updatedUserInfo.UserID);
             user.PhoneNum = updatedUserInfo.PhoneNum;
             user.FirstName = updatedUserInfo.FirstName;
             user.LastName = updatedUserInfo.LastName;
             user.Password = updatedUserInfo.Password;

            // save the changes made to the user
             db.SaveChanges();

            // send the user to their homepage
             UserHomeViewModel userHomeModel = new UserHomeViewModel();
             return View("UserHome", userHomeModel);
         }